Thursday, November 1, 2012

Black Tie Dinner to Honer JC Penney's Diversity Efforts

This year’s Black Tie Dinner will honor JC Penney with the Black Tie Dinner Media Award, given in recognition of positive and increased awareness of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues and equality in the media. Held on November 3 at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, the 31st annual Dinner benefits the Human Rights Campaign Foundation as well as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender supportive organizations that collectively provide services to more than 135,000 individuals annually in the North Texas area.

“The Black Tie Dinner Board is thrilled to honor JC Penney for their efforts in supporting the GLBT community,” said Black Tie Dinner Co-Chair Chris Kouvelis. “JC Penney leaders have an incredible vision for the future and are completely reinventing their stores to become a place where everyone feels welcomed and appreciated. As a company founded on the Golden Rule, JC Penney makes it a practice to treat all people with the respect they deserve.” 

As part of its transformation efforts, JC Penney hired comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres as their company spokesperson. A former JC Penney employee – one of her first jobs was working at a JC Penney store in Metairie, Louisiana – Ellen is helping to bring the JC Penney story to life through a unique partnership that combines her light-hearted humor with JC Penney’s shared sense of values.